1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to supports and supportive adapters for curved surfaces, particularly adapters used to support a round-bottom flask on a standard hot plate to heat the contents of the flask. The invention also relates to such adapters utilizing improved honeycomb material with improved mechanical stability at the cell nodes.
2. Summary of the Prior Art
In the course of chemical laboratory work, it is constantly necessary to store, heat and/or cool solutions in various flasks. Most organic reactions, in fact, are carried out in the laboratory in round-bottom (spherical) flasks made of Pyrex glass, these flasks having the optimum shape for strength under vacuum. The flask shape being spherical, it is necessary to provide supporting apparatus to maintain the flask upright.
For ordinary storage of such flasks, cork or rubber rings are normally used. However, due to the low thermal conductivity of such rings as well as their deterioration upon the application of high temperatures, they can not be effectively used to support a flask on a hot plate to heat the contents of the flask. Consequently, where the flask contents are to be heated, alternate flask supports have been used.
One such support is a hot oil bath resting on a standard hot plate, and used in conjunction with clamps attached to an upright stand to support the flask in the bath. Such a liquid bath may incur contamination and may be subject to spillage and possible ignition. On the other hand, hot sand baths are nonflammable but may be untidy. While molten metal alloy baths afford uniform support, they are very expensive and require clamps to secure the flask and counteract bouyancy. Porcelain heaters containing bare glowing resistance wires afford rapid heating but at risk of vessel breakage and possible fire hazard of spilled liquid. Safer and more convenient are heating mantles especially adapted for round bottomed flasks which incorporate resistance elements within glass fabric contoured surfaces; however, these units usually must be separately provided by a laboratory in addition to standard flat surface hot plates required for other uses.